Milk feeding guide for your newborn

What is normal today?

These are typical ranges for healthy babies born at full term. Your baby may take a little more or less at any one feed.

A newborn tummy is tiny

On day one your baby's stomach holds about a teaspoon. That is why the first milk, colostrum, comes in small amounts. It is thick, yellow and packed with antibodies, which is why midwives call it liquid gold.

Feed on cues, not the clock

Offer a feed when you see the early signs. A crying baby is harder to latch and tends to swallow more air.

Signs of a full baby: sucking slows, hands relax and open, baby turns away or falls asleep.

Breastfeeding

Aim for 8 to 12 feeds in 24 hours, including at night. Frequent feeding in the first weeks is what builds your supply. Your milk usually “comes in” between day 2 and day 5, when your breasts feel fuller and heavier.

Getting a deep latch

1. Hold baby close, tummy to your tummy, with their nose level with your nipple.
2. Wait for a wide open mouth, like a yawn.
3. Bring baby to the breast chin first, so they take a big mouthful of breast and not only the nipple.
4. Check: chin touching the breast, cheeks round, more of the dark area showing above the top lip than below.

A tug in the first few seconds is common. Pain that lasts through the feed means the latch is shallow. Slip a clean finger into the corner of baby's mouth to break the suction, then try again.

Positions to try

Cross-cradle

Baby across your front, your opposite hand supporting the neck. Gives the most control while you are both learning.

Rugby hold

Baby tucked under your arm at your side. Kind to a caesarean wound and useful for twins.

Side-lying

You and baby lying on your sides facing each other. Restful for night feeds.

Laid-back

You recline, baby lies tummy-down on your chest and finds the breast. Helps with a fast milk flow.

Formula feeding

Use a first infant formula for the whole first year. Newborns usually feed every 2 to 3 hours. Hold baby fairly upright, keep the bottle almost level, and pause when they pause. Never prop a bottle or leave baby alone with one.

Making up a feed

1. Wash your hands. Use a bottle and teat that have been washed and sterilised.
2. Boil fresh tap water and let it cool for no more than 30 minutes, so it stays above 70°C.
3. Pour the water into the bottle first, then add the powder.
4. Use the scoop from the tin and level it off. Follow the tin's water-to-powder ratio exactly.
5. Shake, cool the bottle under running water, and test a few drops on your inner wrist. It should feel lukewarm.
6. Throw away whatever is left one hour after the feed began.

Extra scoops or extra water can make a baby ill. Always follow the instructions on your formula tin, as brands differ.

Storing milk safely

• Label every container with the date. Store milk at the back of the fridge, not in the door.
• In a hot room without air conditioning, refrigerate expressed milk straight away.
• Thaw frozen milk in the fridge or in a bowl of warm water. Never refreeze it.
• Do not warm milk in a microwave. It heats unevenly and can scald baby's mouth.

Is my baby getting enough?

You cannot see how much goes in at the breast, but you can count what comes out and watch the weight.

• Wet nappies: at least one per day of life up to day 4, then 6 or more heavy ones a day from day 5. Urine should be pale.
• Dirty nappies: black and sticky at first, greenish by day 3, yellow and loose by day 5.
• Weight: losing up to 7–10% of birth weight in the first days is expected. Most babies are back to birth weight by 2 weeks, then gain roughly 150–200 g a week.
• During feeds: you can hear or see swallowing, and baby comes off looking relaxed.

Common bumps in the first weeks

Sore or cracked nipples

Nearly always a shallow latch. Re-latch, vary positions, and rub a few drops of breast milk on afterwards. Ask a lactation consultant to watch a feed.

Engorged, hard breasts

Common when milk comes in. Feed often, hand-express a little before latching to soften the breast, and use cool packs between feeds.

Cluster feeding

Wanting to feed again and again for a few hours, often in the evening and around weeks 2 to 3 and week 6. It is a growth spurt, not a sign your milk is running out.

Wind and spit-up

Hold baby upright against your shoulder and rub or pat the back midway through and after each feed. Small milky spit-ups are normal.

Mastitis

A hot, red, painful patch on the breast with fever or flu-like aches. Keep feeding from that side and see a doctor the same day.

Looking after yourself

• Keep water within reach at every feed and drink when you are thirsty.
• Eat regular meals. Making milk uses about 400–500 extra calories a day.
• Sleep when someone else can hold the baby. Tiredness makes everything feel harder.
• Ask your doctor about vitamin D drops, which are often advised for breastfed babies.
• Check any medicine with a pharmacist or doctor before taking it while breastfeeding.
• Feeling low, tearful or anxious for more than two weeks is common and treatable. Tell your doctor or nurse.

Fed and loved is the goal. Breastfeeding, formula and mixed feeding can all raise a healthy baby.